There is a variety of opinion on if the 287hp/274torque engine is better than the 300hp/260 torque engine. The 14lb/ft of torque drop is stated as significant enough to effect low end acceleration. Is this true. The 300 hp one might have more boost toward the redline, but if your not racing then why the need to approach redline to get the power?

 

you basically answered your own question. Torque spinns the wheels, HP simply a number used to measure engine output at certain RPM. the old adage is "torque wins races, horsepower sells cars"

 

so why would the 35th aniversary and track models have more hp but less tq?

 

So nissan made there high end z's slower?

 

You oftentimes have to trade some trq for more whp at the top end. There are no free lunches, and designing an OEM motor, cam profile, power band, etc, is very much about compromise.

 

1. So is 14lb/ft tq such an amount where you can actually feel the diff. in the low band.

2. Will the extra ponies only be felt in the higher band.

 

a rather interesting read about HP and Torque. it may not answer your question.....but it does give you hypothetical examples about Torue, HP, and gearing

clickie here!!!

 

Yes and yes. 14ft/lbs on a car making mid 200's power is going to be noticable. Most people can feel 15ft/lbs, but cant feel 15whp up top.

Trq is what you feel...it presses you into the seat.

 

Stock I dynoed 235rwtq. That is more then some of the 287hp motors I have seen. If you take into affect a 17% drivetrain loss (it might be less), then that is 283tq at the crank.

 

tq is how fast you get to the wall....hp is how hard you hit the wall

 

Here's a valid explanation on horsepower and torque from a buddy of mine who is an engineer... Basically ... you need to know one thing ... TQ is Horsepower ... at a given RPM and gear. They can be (within the right equation) interchangeable...

Horsepower Matters (and torque is stupid)

 

I don't think taking the peak numbers gives enough information to even have a conversation about. It would be better to have full curves, HP and TQ before going off on some idea about what motor is better than what. The 300 hp motor has new cam timing gear that theoretically can get you something for nothing. Without the whole picture this conversation is pointless unless someone with the lower HP motor just wants to feel better about it.

Chris

 

new engine seems like a waste...if anything they should have strengthened internals making it more boost friendly...

 

that being said... what do you call something with lots of torque and little hp?

a dumptruck


you do need a decent amount of hp to compliment that torque (a lot also depends on the weight of the vehicle)

 

Did they do anything to the Engine? Or are the new 2006 Z's come with a ECU "upgrade"? Is this true? Are they just trying to sell the 300HP echelon?

 

This is just what I believe; I would get the more hp version, because (if true) it has a beefier bottom end.

 

I posted this graph awhile ago. The blue is my car stock and the red is a stock 03. Both 6speed and both dynoed at the same shop. There is a weird gap on mine for some reason, but you can imagine where the line should be.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...23976169DvphPx

 

the question here should be at what point does that extra torque come in is at the top or the middle where torque dies and hp carries through you need both to win races not just torque

 

Does the 05 track have different ratios than the 287hp six speed? if so, then the engine's torque is pointless as it has been offset by the different gears. This is precisely why the engine's peak torque is the absolute least concerned variable on a racing engine. CSU has a brake engine dyno that seems to be running non stop as we try and improve the motor in the prototype racer being built. It also is used for the Formula SAE car's engine at times. Higher MEP and HP figures are the goal, not torque. Improving an engine's efficiency to make the most of every air and fuel molecule is the goal, and results in increased horsepower, often at the cost of peak torque, in order to increase the amount of work the engine can perform. Torque values at the engine are pointless except to determine appropriate gearing to establish the desired torque at the wheels. The torque "curve" is what is important, in conjunction with the hp figure. This is why no one is playing with "torquey" engines in Formula SAE, but with Kawasaki, Honda, and Suzuki four's that can rev like the bejeezus and have cylinder MEP figures to rival formula engines. Horsepower is a measure of work, not power, and the more of it the better. The only time engine torque becomes the holy grail over horsepower, is in racing bodies that limit hp to weight, and therefore must use longer gears to aid in top speed and find all the torque they can out of the engine to compensate.

Of course, it could all be marketing fluff to sell more Z's?

 

Could it be that since the 03 is 2yrs old that the engine isnt in tune; so the power range wont be as high?